MAB Weddings: Amanda & Helena

June’s MAB Wedding Highlight brings us two bombshell brides that tied the knot with a fabulous disco garden dream. Amanda & Helena walk us through how they brought their wedding dreams to life with Lara Held of Ida Rose Events.

Photography: Renee Hollingshead Photography

What made you decide on your venue?

While we’re both from the Northeast, we’ve lived in DC since 2018, so we knew we wanted to get married here. There are so many stunning venues in the city, but we wanted something modern and eclectic…a rooftop would be an added bonus! We found all of those things in The LINE Hotel in Adams Morgan, DC. At The LINE, we could get ready and hold each of the day’s events – ceremony, cocktail hour and reception – in one convenient and gorgeous location.

What was the best part of wedding planning?

Working with our incredible planner, Laura Held, and watching her bring our ideas and inspiration to life. Coming up with a theme and aesthetic that was the perfect representation of us as a couple was a challenge, but so much fun! Plus, all of the vendor meetings and mockups were fantastic…connecting with those vendors on floral and decor inspiration was an absolute highlight.

What was the hardest part?

Decision fatigue is real! We were engaged for over two years, so we spent those two years planning. While it was wonderful to have the extra time to enjoy the planning process, it was definitely tricky to stay motivated in the last couple of weeks to get everything done!

What helped you handle any wedding related stress?

Envisioning the end result of finally being married, seeing all of our plans come to life and having the time of our lives with all of our family and friends at the wedding!

If you can pick one, what was your favorite moment from your wedding day?

Definitely the cocktail hour! It was on The LINE’s gorgeous rooftop, and it was so fun to see all of our friends and family coming off that *just married* high!

What is one thing you couldn’t do without at your wedding? From planning, a special feature at your wedding, or while getting ready?

Music definitely sets the tone for us. Making sure that we had the best music at every stage of the day was super important to us. Between our getting ready playlists, to the vibey Cherry Blossom String Quartet at the ceremony and cocktail hour, to DJ Craig knowing how to keep everyone on the dance floor all night, music set the tone for the day and made it all the more special.

What made you choose MAB Artistry to be your HMU team?

MAB came highly recommended by our planner, Laura. We’re a two-bride couple and had lots of bridesmaids. We knew we needed a big team to help us bring to life the different visions we both had as brides and our respective bridal parties.

What advice do you have for other brides?

If you can, do a first look. Not only did it take away those pre-ceremony jitters, but we were able to get all of our portraits done early and we were able to fully enjoy our full rooftop cocktail hour with our loved ones!